The Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership is proud to offer a refreshed and dynamic Child Exploitation Training course, designed specifically for practitioners working with children and young people across Somerset. This vital training aims to strengthen awareness, explore local pathways, build confidence, and enhance the skills needed to identify and respond to child exploitation in all its forms.
Child exploitation continues to evolve, and so must our professional responses. This course, delivered by specialists including Androulla Nicolaou, Prevent Officer & Coordinator for the Topaz Child Exploitation Team, alongside colleagues Somerset Councils WAVE – Working Against Violence and Exploitation team, provides practitioners with the most current insights, tools and approaches being used regionally and nationally.
Throughout the course, participants will be encouraged to recognise the subtle indicators, vulnerabilities and patterns that can easily be overlooked. Practitioners will build their understanding of how exploitation can occur, how perpetrators target and groom young people, and how exploitation can manifest through both in person and online environments.
This training provides the opportunity to:
- Build a strong foundation in recognising the signs and associated risk factors of exploitation.
- Understand the vulnerabilities that make children more susceptible to being groomed or targeted.
- Learn about early intervention approaches and the local pathways of support available across Somerset.
- Gain insight into young people’s behaviour through the lens of trauma and coercive control.
- Develop awareness of current slang, trends, platforms and digital spaces being used by young people—essential knowledge for modern safeguarding practice.
This course has been designed to be relevant, practical and applicable to safeguarding work in Somerset. Whether you work in education, health, policing, social care, or any wider safeguarding role, this training will deepen your awareness and strengthen your ability to act quickly and effectively to protect children.
Child exploitation is a complex and hidden crime, but by working together, sharing expertise and building our collective confidence, we can create safer environments for young people across Somerset.
Join us in taking an important step toward stronger, more informed safeguarding practice.
For more information and booking, please click the link below!
